Daly (DD 519) - Naval Cruise Book

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Her Adventures fcontinuedj A n The DALY and the other part of the cruiser-destroyer task force remained at Humboldt Bay for four days before goingfoutto relieve the force patrolling in the covering area. During these four days, some tired sailors Were often driven from their slumber because of the presence of enemy aircraft. Th enemy sent many planes over the area in an attempt to knock Ollt Sl101'6 il1St3113ii0IlS- NOIIC of these planes made an attack on the surface forces in the harbor. ' On the 20 May, the group got under way from Humboldt Bay to relieve the force in the covering area. Here the ship conducted covering operations from 21 May until the 24 May 1944 when the ship again retired to Humboldt Bay to refuel, and replenish supplies. ' THE A.SSAULT AND OCCUPATION OF BIAK ISLAND, - V SCHOUTEN ISLANDS Upon the completion of fueling and replenishment at Humboldt Bay, 24 May 1944, we got under way in company with destroyers of Task Force 75 en route to the area north of Wakde 'Island to join the Biak Attack Force fT'ask Force 775 Until this operation, the going had been fairly easy The enemy hadn't been successful 1n sending planes at the surface forces, fighter patrols had kept the areas pretty well cleared of enemy planes The enemy,s only suc cessful attemps of getting planes through the air patrols were during the nlght After the pre landing bombardment of Blak, the ship conducted radar picket duty about ten miles southwest' of the fire support area On seveial occasions during the day enemy aircraft appeared ln the area and the ship was directed back to Join the force around Blak for protec tive anti aircraft screening duties The going started to get a llttle rough as the day passed on During the late afternoon twin englned bombers passed directly overhead Fortunately these planes weie 1n too much of a hurry to attempt bombing runs on the sur face forces The long days and nights around Biak Island began to get tougher as they passed on On numerous occasions enemy planes appeared ln the area The general alarm began to adopt Weird tones every time It was sounded B tween the anti aircraft fire from the ship s guns and the remarkable work of the all patrols the enemy planes were successfully driven off t1me after tlme 7 . . . . . - - 0 , 7 ' . . . , ' ' ' . e- .- . . , . . 9 u n , . . E Forty eight I

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I 5 .5 - yr. ? :ff-f-45-v Fifa-1+-if lm DJ' H fp, 7. 1 F I -1. 5 . ...i.......hlnlw,... ,ff 1... f Her Adventures fcontinuedl approximately the same time, surface radar detected small, fast-moving targets, believed to be Japanese motor torpedo-boats, steaming up the coast, The git. uation looked bad for a while, but everything turned out for the best. After shooting up all the shipping that could be found, and blasting shore installa- tions on Wewak Point, the force of destroyers retired from the area without a causalty. ' . During they months of April, May, June, and July, the DALY participated in operations taking the shipl from Milne Bay all the way up the coast of New Guinea to Cape Sansapor on the northernmost tip of the island. BOMBARDMENT OF HANSA BAY, ALEXISHAVEN AND MADANG On 10 April 1944, the guns of the destroyer DALY poured death and de- struction into troop concentrations, piles of stores, trucks, and other installations at Hansa Bay, New Guinea. Following up Hansa Bay, they hurled their shells into enemy installa- tions at Alexishaven and Madang, New Guinea. ASSAULT AND OCCUPATION OF HUMBOLDT BAY, HOLLANDIA, DUTCH NEW GUINEA ' On 22 April 1944, our '4Mighty QD' commenced knocking out shore batteries and destroying installations at Humboldt Bay, paving the way for the scheduled landing parties and the swift occupation of Hollandia. Following the initial landing at Hollandia, the ship, as a unit of the cruiser-destroyer task force, patrolled the sea lanes leading to Humboldt Bay to prevent enemy surface forces from interrupting the operations there. BOMBARDMENT OF SAWAR AND WAKDE ISLAND 4 AIR DROMES, DUTCH NEW GUINEA On the 29 April 1944, as part of the patrolling protective force of cruis- ers, destroyers, and escort aircraft carriers, the DALY, accompanied by a small force of destroyers and cruisers, broke oil' from the main force to conduct an attack on enemy airdromes at Wakde and Sawar Islands, New Guinea, where it was believed enemy planes were taking off to raid our forces at Hollandia, About 0100 on 30 April, the bombardment commenced. The destroyers' accurate guns first hurled their shells at installations in the Sewar Area, then at installations on Wakde Island, causing tremendous explosions and violent fires in the areas. When all the designated target areas had been thoroughly covered, the force retired to join the main force and continued patrolling the area around Hollandia. With the situation well in hand at Hollandia, the force of destroyers, cruisers and escort carriers left that area for retirement to the newly won base at Seeadler Harbor, Admiralty Islands, for replenishment of ammunition and provisions. THE ASSAULT AND- OCCUPATION OF WAKDE ISLAND, ' DUTCH NEW GUINEA The next event in the DALY's battle history took place at Wakde Island. As a unit of Task Force 75, the ship left .Seeadler Harbor on the 16 May, arriv- ing at Wakde Island the following day for the scheduled pre-landing bombard- ment of that island. Her guns poured death and destruction into enemy installations on the beach at Wakde. The scheduled pre-landing bombardment completed, troops stormed ashore without opposition. Reports came by radio from the shore fire control parties that there were scores of enemy dead around the little island. The bombardment force of cruisers and destroyers then departed from the scene of action for retirement to Humboldt Bay, Hollandia, for replenishment of fuel and ammunition. A portion of the destroyer-cruiser force remained in the covering area north of Wakde-Toem Area patrolling the area in order to prevent the enemy from interfering with further operations on the beach. Fo rty-seven

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Her Adventures fcontinuedj Q 1 During the afternoon of 4 J une, the general alarm gave the warning that enemy planes were approaching and the crew scrambled to their battle-stations. There was very little time to get those guns manned, because this time the planes had sneaked in on us before they were identified as enemy. The next five min- utes brought a fast and furious air-sea battle as anti-aircraft fire from all units made patterns in the sky. The danger of shells from our own ships became just as grave as the danger of enemy bombs. After a long five minutes, the planes were driven off, but the fear of more attacks made everyone's nerves stand on edge. But the next few days and nights of the patrol were exceptionally quiet until finally, on the night of 8 June 1944, the anticipated surface battle began to materialize. Enemy naval forces were attempting to reinforce their positions in the Schouten Islands. The enemy force was detected a little over ten miles away when our destroyers were ordered to attack. The DALY immediately built her 'speed up to 36 knots. In company with three other destroyers, the chase began. The enemy had chosen to run rather than fight it out. With such a great distance between our force of destroyers and the enemy naval units, which were also destroyers, it was doubtful whether or not any surface battle would take place. The enemy had the advantage, they could make course changes to the right or left and let go with their torpedoes, but, for the DALY, the range was far too great to let go torpedoes. p After the first few hours of the chase, the DALY and accompanying des- troyers closed range and opened fire on the enemy. Salvo after salvo was hurled at the enemy. It was a foul night for a sea battle. The sea was rough, and the moon shone just enough so that it was possible to see the outline on the enemy ships, and they undoubtedly saw our silhouette. lt was believed that some of the enemy ships were damaged, but, be- cause of the fact that the enemy layed smoke screens, accurate observations were not available. The chase was broken off when the enemy destroyers were pursued almost to the outer harbor of their protective base. The danger of at- tacks by swarms of enemy planes became so grave it would have been a one- way trip to pursue the enemy any further. ' V -The boys all had a slight feeling of defeat, but, technically, they had no reason for that feeling. They had done their best. The most important thing was that the enemy didn't complete his plan of getting reinforcements to the Schouten Islands. ' ' When the enemy finally gave the Scouten Islands up for lost, the force of cruisers and destroyers left the area en route for Humboldt Bay to replenish fuel, ammunition, and provisions. , ASSAULT AND OCCUPATION OF NOEMFOOR ISLAND, NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES 1 The ship departed Seeadler Harbor on 29 June 1944, en route to rendez- vous off Biak Island, in company with a combined force of cruisers and destroy- ers of Task Forces 74 and 75. V At daylight on the morning of 2 July, our guns again blazed away at enemy installations. The combined force conducted a terrific bombardment of the little island, covering U. S. troops as they waded ashore. This operation proved to be just another pushover. The enemy was weakening in these areas. ' It was almost a month after the Noemfoor operation before the DALY was again called upon. During this time, the .crew had been exerclsed.. Every opportunity was taken to get in as much training as possible. The 1211116.15535 drawing near when the arm of the Pacific Forces would reach out for the Ph1l1p- pine Islands. i - Forty nme